Goodyear unveils state of the art telecommunications center

Chris Nadeau manages the new telecommunications center in the City of Goodyear. (Jeremy Foster/KTAR Photo)

PHOENIX -- Police dispatchers in the City of Goodyear have made a big move.

No longer are they stuck in an old, 1,800-square-foot facility filled with power failures and flooding problems.

As of May 6, 911 operators are now fielding emergency calls from a brand new, 10,000-square-foot state of the art telecommunications center in a stand-alone building.
This means a number of benefits for residents with an emergency.

"You can be guaranteed the systems are going to work," said Chris Nadeau, manager of the telecommunications center.

Nadeau said the Goodyear center received more than 100,000 calls last year.

"We will have the ability to train our staff better to handle those calls faster and the ability to ensure that we can turn that around faster to get whatever you need, police, fire or medical, faster," he explained.

The new facility also includes a lactating room for nursing mothers, an exercise room, showers and a large break room. Nadeau said they have 12 operators and four supervisors who work 10- to 12-hour shifts.

It also contains an Emergency Operations Center, in case of a major event, such has urban wildfires or catastrophic flooding.

The facility is also designed to serve Goodyear's plan for growth and expansion for the next 30 years.